Based on the recently published book by Gábor Fekete, whom I deeply respect and greatly admire, I would like to share a few thoughts about the technique of simplification, which we also use and teach. By the way, I highly recommend Gábor’s book to everyone. It was published at the end of last year under the title “The Outrageously Simple Techniques of Developing Spoken English.”
Simplification is the foundation of every speech development technique. It’s not something to be ashamed of — it is an absolute necessity, no matter what level you’re at in a foreign language. Even above C1 level, you still need it.
There will always be thoughts you simply cannot express in a foreign language with the same ease and sophistication as in your native tongue. This is why, at these points, you must simplify your complex idea to the level you can confidently express in the target language. At first this can feel difficult, but once you master it, nothing will stop your fluency.
This technique needs a lot of practice. First, you must learn to let go of unnecessary details — they don’t matter. What matters is that the message gets across. Even grammatical or linguistic accuracy is secondary: the main goal is effective communication, ensuring that the person you’re speaking to understands you.
As an active examiner, I can confidently say that grammatical or lexical mistakes that do not interrupt communication — meaning the message is still clear — are considered minor even in language exams. In fact, they are far less serious than errors that prevent understanding. If your message gets across, the communicative goal has been met — and that’s a huge plus. We also explicitly evaluate the correct use of communication strategies, such as describing something you cannot say precisely, or reformulating your message when needed.
Many learners make the mistake of getting stuck on a detail they cannot express. They freeze, get blocked, and the communication fails. That is a complete breakdown — and must be avoided at all costs. Forget the details! Focus on the essence, and on how you can express that. Don’t be afraid to use basic words if nothing else works.
Here is one example from Gábor:
Original Hungarian sentence:
„Szerintem záptojás lehetett, mert olyan büdös volt a konyhában, hogy majd elhánytam magam ott helyben!”
Simplification examples:
- Very low level: I think the egg was bad. The kitchen air was bad.
- Average level: I think there was a problem with the egg. The kitchen was so smelly. I had a stomach problem from it.
- Intermediate level: I think there was a problem with the egg. There was a terrible smell in the kitchen from it. I almost vomited.
- No simplification (native-level expression): That must have been a rotten egg as it smelled so horrible it almost instantly made me throw up.
I highly recommend getting the book and reading it! It presents all the techniques that we also use and teach — techniques that will help you develop your speaking skills on your own, even at home. All it takes is time and dedication. These methods work. Go for it!
And of course, you can always practise with us. We look forward to welcoming you!
(Author: Valéria Szilágyi)